CHAPTER ELEVEN
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY
The history of India can be divided into three
periods—ancient, mediaeval, and modern.
Modern India dates from India's contact with
the West Naturally this has been an era of
strife and struggle, but it has also been a time of
noble activity, Indians have done much valuable
work in the fields of learning, science, and know-
ledge, and they have also tried to reform them-
selves in the social spheres of life. In the realm
of the spirit, too, they have done many worthy
things and no one would doubt that they have
made every effort to advance and unify India
politically. The impulse for all this has come
from many different directions and from many
different men. Of all the persons who have given
a direction to the life of new India the most
ho&oured is Raja Ram Mohan Roy. He was
born at a critical time in the history of this country,
and he did much to shape its political, social, and
religious life.
la order to understand Raja Rani Mohan Roy
fiifly we should understand the condition of the
country as it was whoa he was born. In tiie
realm of literature time was oo great master;